Benetas

Today, we observe Remembrance Day, honouring the bravery and sacrifice of all those who have served in wars, conflicts and peace operations. Lest we forget.

Our CEO Sandra Hills OAM participated in a panel discussion at this week’s 2024 Aged & Community Care Providers Association National Conference in Adelaide. The discussion surrounded the essential process of fostering trust and lasting confidence across the aged care sector.   Sandra spoke about the importance of working with customers to improve services and build trust. By doing this we ensure our teams are appropriately skilled to provide care that is tailored to a customer’s specific needs.   Sandra also spoke about the role transparency and proactive communication play in creating a sense of confidence and security for customers and families.   The discussion was facilitated by Sue Peden AM FAICD, Chair ACCPA Consumer Advisory Board and Independent Director, ACCPA included Craig Gear OAM, CEO, OPAN, Gwenda Darling, Council of Elders and Lesley Forster, National Older Persons Reference Group, OPAN. Our General Manager of Residential Services Verity Leith also participated in a panel discussion, focussing on the Small Household Model of Care from a Provider’s View. Verity highlighted the pros and cons of the small household model and what Benetas had learned, leading to a transition from a carer-led model to one that includes registered and enrolled nurses for better clinical oversight. She was joined by Darrell Price, National Head of Health & Aged Care, Grant Thornton, Louise Greene, Director, Ideal Consultancy and Clare Douglas, Chief Executive, Mercy Health. #ACCPA2024 #agedcareaustralia #agedcare

Our General Manager, Community Health and Care Helen Kemp presented at this month’s Victorian Healthcare Week conference on the theme Unveiling Tech Transformation Strategies to Foster Digital Maturity in the Aged Care Sector. The discussion focused on digital maturity challenges across the sector and how aged care providers are dealing with large technology change programs. The presentation touched on the importance of having internal expertise to manage this challenge and a change management framework. Helen also joined a panel discussion that focussed on how to enhance support for ageing in place and seamless home care transitions. #agedcare #agedcareaustralia #techtransformations #homecare

Every day, our Veterans Home Care team provides a phone-based assessment service to more than 8,500 veterans in Victoria and Queensland, as a preferred provider of the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Based in our Blackburn office, the team coordinates service delivery and allocation for providers and helps veterans navigate the systems they need, facilitating service access and information. Recently, the team visited the Shrine of Remembrance to pay their respects and gain a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made by Australian servicemen and women. The visit has fuelled the team’s commitment to continue to provide care and support to our veteran clients.

Meet Sonya Imbesi, Benetas’ Palliative Care Specialist. Sonya has recently joined the team and will work across residential aged care, retirement living and community health and care, to enhance Benetas’ end-of-life care. She brings extensive experience to Benetas as a physiotherapist, working in oncology and palliative care at Peter McCallum and Cabrini Hospitals. More recently, Sonya worked with the Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network, responsible for a range of areas, including improving access to palliative care at home and supporting primary and community care services. At Benetas, Sonya will lead the design and implementation of the organisation’s Model of Palliative Care to improve quality of care, update policies, ensure compliance and create innovative, sustainable palliative services. Sonya is excited to be joining the Benetas team and by the opportunity to work closely with healthcare teams to incorporate her project management and stakeholder engagement skills to make a difference for our residents and clients.

Our CEO Sandra Hills OAM has shared her thoughts on today’s release of Anglicare Australia’s Life on the Wait List report.

Meet Margaret Alexander, our dedicated Dementia Specialist with extensive experience in nursing and aged care. Marg is fuelled by a passion for working with the elderly, especially those living with dementia and since joining Benetas in 2020, she has spearheaded several initiatives focusing on the wellbeing of residents living with dementia. Notably, she has led the launch of the Best Life Model of Care program, a 17-week mentoring initiative aimed at upskilling employees in dementia care. The program focuses on a person’s life – social, spiritual, family, work, and environment – to make meaningful connections regardless of a person’s cognitive ability, the level of care they receive or their place of residence. “It is important to have a person-centred approach and help our residents and clients find joy, purpose and meaning in their lives,” says Marg. Marg has continuously supported team members to develop and grow their knowledge and improve the way they care for customers. “Working in a leadership role, I enjoy the opportunity to develop and mentor our team members to enable them to find the joy in caring," she says. Marg says she finds working with older people rewarding and their resilience and outlook on life inspiring. “I love their humour, stories and their wisdom. My career and passion for caring for older people is my way of giving back and finding joy in my own life.” This week is Dementia Action Week, a national campaign that raises awareness and challenges common misconceptions about dementia. This Dementia Action Week, Marg has a message for all carers: "Understanding and knowing the person we care for is key to providing quality care. Our aim is enablement, by focusing on what our residents and clients can do rather than what they can’t.”

Benetas has welcomed the bipartisan agreement between the Albanese Government and the Opposition that will see the introduction of the new Aged Care Act into Parliament. As a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the new Aged Care Act places the sector on a path towards desperately needed reform. We commend the Federal Government and Opposition for showing their commitment to the aged care industry by reaching agreement on a range reforms that will unlock crucial funding for the sector. As our sector grapples with increased demand for services, against a backdrop of an ageing population with more complex health needs than ever before, the agreement provides hope for aged care providers and older Australians. These reforms not only provide crucial and sustainable financial security but also confidence for the sector to invest in new programs and care models that have the ability to deliver the quality outcomes that older Australians expect and deserve. Statement attributable to Benetas CEO Sandra Hills OAM

Last week, our General Manager of Residential Services Verity Leith participated in a panel discussion that focused on the impact of Hospital in the Home (HITH) on aged care. Verity spoke about the importance of focussing on the community dynamics of retirement villages to ensure the right level of support is provided to residents as their care needs evolve and become more complex, as well as the opportunity for providers to leverage their diverse offerings to develop health and wellbeing precincts. Verity also discussed the importance of providing appropriate funding for providers to meet any new compliance requirements for the retirement living sector as it evolves to support HITH. We would like to thank the DCM Group and Russell Kennedy for providing the opportunity for the panellists to share their unique insights.

Today, we celebrate Wear It Purple Day to foster supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for rainbow young people. This year’s theme “Your Passion, Your Pride” encourages everyone to proudly express their passions and identities. For young people who identify as LGBTQIA+, it is a reminder of the power of embracing what makes them unique and sharing it with the world without hesitation. At Benetas, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and free to be their authentic selves including employees, residents and clients. To mark the day, Benetas are hosting an online webinar and team members, offices and homes will dress up in purple to show our support and commitment to supporting equality and inclusion for all.